Intermediate Valence Model for the Colossal Magnetoresistance in Tl_{2}Mn_{2}O_{7}

TL;DR

This paper introduces an intermediate valence model for Tl_{2}Mn_{2}O_{7} that explains its colossal magnetoresistance by considering fluctuating valence states and hybridization effects, differing from traditional manganite mechanisms.

Contribution

The paper proposes a novel intermediate valence model for Tl_{2}Mn_{2}O_{7} that captures its electronic structure and transport properties, providing a new perspective beyond double exchange explanations.

Findings

Qualitative agreement with experimental electronic structure and transport data.

Identification of a hybridization gap influencing Hall measurements.

Model explains the absence of strong magneto-transport coupling in related pyrochlores.

Abstract

The colossal magnetoresistance exhibited by Tl_{2}Mn_{2}O_{7} is an interesting phenomenon, as it is very similar to that found in perovskite manganese oxides although the compound differs both in its crystalline structure and electronic properties from the manganites. At the same time, other pyrochlore compounds, though sharing the same structure with Tl_{2}Mn_{2}O_{7}, do not exhibit the strong coupling between magnetism and transport properties found in this material. Mostly due to the absence of evidence for significant doping into the Mn-O sublattice, and the tendency of Tl to form conduction bands, the traditional double exchange mechanism mentioned in connection with manganites does not seem suitable to explain the experimental results in this case. We propose a model for Tl_{2}Mn_{2}O_{7} consisting of a lattice of intermediate valence ions fluctuating between two magnetic configurations, representing Mn-3d orbitals, hybridized with a conduction band, which we associate with Tl. This model had been proposed originally for the analysis of intermediate valence Tm compounds. With a simplified treatment of the model we obtain the electronic structure and transport properties of Tl_{2}Mn_{2}O_{7}, with good qualitative agreement to experiments. The presence of a hybridization gap in the density of states seems important to understand the reported Hall data.